Bakagakure Promenade
by L0vi
Summary: Bakamaru throws a formal party to solicit donations; the others help out with the preparations. During the party, Kai and the rest show off their magic with the mic.


"So… why are we doing this again?"

Shime spun around to give Fuyushi an incredulous look. The vampire-monk was currently standing on a bar stool to attach some hooks on the walls for the chiffon cloths later.

"You never listen to meetings, do you?"

Fuyushi gave a half hearted shrug. "I was talking to Ban about the girl who slipped on ice cream in front of everyone by the city hall yesterday. She probably has a newfound hatred towards coffee crumble now." He snickered.

Shime rolled her eyes. "Lord Baks says it's a great fundraising event. Stop slacking off, we have less than four hours to make this place look decent." She went back to sorting the different cloths and wires for the decorations.

"So Baks is throwing some fancy ass party to feed off the excess money?"

"For the good of the village."

Fu snorted. "Riiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiight."

* * *

In another part of town, at some food establishment, Yumi, Ban and Hitsumi were making sure they got the food and drinks to be served right.

"Hey, Yumi," Ban called from the kitchen.

She looked over the list one last night before locating her cousin. "Hmmmmm?"

He waved. "Come here a sec."

She raised a brow. "What is it, Ban?"

He pointed to a Chinese chef who was gracefully running around the kitchen. He looked so at peace and so fluid that it was like witnessing a dance of passion and devotion. He grabbed a few spices off the rack and chopped them into the thinnest bits before dumping them into a large frying pan that was momentarily consumed by flames. His left hand was sorting some more chopped vegetables, while he kept his right hand on the handle, effectively rocking the contents to keep them from burning.

From the door, two pairs of green eyes watched him with such morbid fascination that they didn't notice a third member join them. Hitsumi eyed them cautiously and was about to say something when her attention was caught by the loud sizzling sound from another pan as the chef twirled in his spot. He almost seemed to sparkle under the fluorescent lights. He danced the dance of gourmet chefs to a tune only these culinary geniuses can hear.

"Cool…"

"Wow… Just… Wow."

"Fuck, how is he doing that?"

* * *

Outside the City Hall, two men were motioning for two transport trucks to back into the little parking spot near the emergency exits to the side.

Kai and Kenri watched as the doors of the trucks opened and a handful of men jumped down to take out the sets of long tables and chairs crammed inside. There were some single round tables too. After moving everything inside, Kenri signed some documents and thanked them politely.

"Ya ready for t'night, man?" Kai was grinning broadly now. He has spent some good number of days raiding dozens of shops to find 'the best goddamn suit this village has to offer.'

"Yeah." Kenri smirked with a playful glint in his blue eyes. "So have you figured how to save your sorry ass from the awkwardness later?"

Kai bristled; a hand went to rub the back of his neck, and he gave the ground a sheepish smile. "Hopefully, it won't come to that."

* * *

A sizable heap of makeup products now littered Natsumi's bed. Chiharu drew her brows down wondering how they should go about this. She glanced at the clock. Three hours. A moment later, Natsumi, Oxymisha and Sol entered the room with boxes of what seemed to be the dresses and suit they had ordered the week before. They had started to go through the contents of their boxes when Natsumi noticed the odd look on Chi's face.

She playfully bumped her twin on the shoulder. "Don't ye worry, hmmm? We are totally gonna rock this thing."

Oxymisha nodded in agreement. "Besides, we already spent all those hours going through makeup tutorials." There was a wild fire in her eyes. "There's no backing out now."

Sol took out some of the paper padding from the package and dug through for his dress shoes.

Natsumi whistled. "Wow, pointy."

There was a snicker. "That's what she said." And the whole damn apartment exploded with raucous laughter.

* * *

"Hey, Ahiru?"

Ahiru looked up from the laptop and found Bakamaru stretching by the large glass window overlooking the village. He gave her a tired smile. "I really appreciate your help with the receipts and all." He leaned casually on the window sill. "However, you should probably go home and prepare for tonight. I hear it's quite stressful for girls, whereas we just take whatever pair of slacks we have lying around." He shrugged. "Unless you're Kai." He frowned a bit. "Or Fuyushi." He tilted his head thoughtfully, his chin in his hand. "Or Ban. Well..."

Ahiru chuckled. "If it's alright with you."

"Yes, yes." He made shooing movements with his hands. "Away with you."

She began closing down some programs and made her way across the room but stopped when she reached the door. She gave him a small smile. "Well, I guess I'll you later, Lord Hashimoto."

* * *

Shiro was in the room next to the Bakakage's office, making a call to the florists for a last minute request for a couple more white lilies for the grand promenade and a few other things.

"Yes, two hundred please." He replied carefully into the receiver nestled between his ear and shoulder. His red eyes scanned the list in his hands. There was a reply. He placed a check mark on one of the items.

"That's right. Now, about the snowdrops for the main entrance- Ah, yes. That would be wonderful." He nodded even though the person on the other end couldn't see. "I would like to place and order under my name if it isn't too much trouble," he cleared his throat and tried to stop his rising blush. "Yes, ummm.. I'd like a bouquet of roses. Ah, those with large bulbs." He nodded at something the other person said. "Yes, those. A dozen please; 4 green ones and the rest in the lightest shade of pink you have." He waited a moment before nodding again.

"Yes," he was writing down something on the bottom on his list. "Excellent, thank you very much." And with that, he ended the call and placed the phone back into its cradle. He took a quick glance on his watch and bit back a yawn. Two hours and thirty minutes.

* * *

 _To be continued._


End file.
